Arrow's Latest Victim Explains Why They Had to Die

On Wednesday's Arrow, Dahrk stabbed Laurel (Katie Cassidy) to keep his promise to her father (Paul Blackthorne): that if Lance ever betrayed him, Dahrk would kill his daughter.

At first, it appeared as though Dahrk failed to deliver on his pledge, with Laurel surviving a successful surgery.

[...] shortly after she finished up a heartfelt talk with the team, the Black Canary began coding - but not before she asked Oliver (Stephen Amell) to make her an unheard promise.

[...] though Arrow has teased this major death at Dahrk's hands since the season premiere, even the producers didn't know it would be Laurel until recently.

Once the producers decided that Laurel would be in the grave, they prepared themselves for the inevitable fan backlash.

Because although Oliver is currently in love with Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards), an original character for the television series, in the comic books, Oliver's main love interest is the Black Canary.

[...] Cassidy will appear in the next episode of Arrow through flashbacks, as well as portray Earth-2 Laurel - better known as the crime-fighter Black Siren - on a May 17 episode of The Flash.

[...] when Arrow returns onApril 27, the series isn't going to shy away from the devastating effects Laurel's death has on Team Arrow.

The Lance family's grieving process will be further explored in an upcoming episode of the spin-off Legends of Tomorrow, where we'll see Sara and Lance work through their mourning together.